


One Sunset on Denobula

by obscureenthusiast



Series: softbutchtashayar's 400 follower celebration [3]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Kinda, M/M, Walking, cutesy shit like that, hand-holding, it's like a first date, it's schmoopsie as fuck lmaoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-06-30 21:38:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15760218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obscureenthusiast/pseuds/obscureenthusiast
Summary: Phlox and Dr. Lucas take a walk, talk about their work, their friends... their relationship. Things like that.





	One Sunset on Denobula

**Author's Note:**

> This is for my dear friend Marieke!! I... didn't ship these two until I wrote this, astoundingly. They're cute. I love them. They're my dads now. I hope you like this, Mari!!

It was a slow, burnished gold sunset. The sunsets on Earth were so _quick_ , they burned out like a matchstick and Phlox barely had enough time to enjoy them. 

Denobula was different. The sunsets _lingered_ , hugging on to the skyline and slowly hushing the day. 

Ideal for walking, Denobulan sunsets. Intergalactically renowned. 

“No, they’re not,” Dr. Lucas chuckled, when Phlox told him as much.

He’d still agreed to the walk, though.

Phlox smiled (the small one, the one humans were most comfortable with) as they walked. He asked about Dr. Lucas’s research. They talked about their work. Phlox laughed at stories about adjusting to life on Denobula, Dr. Lucas laughed at stories about the Enterprise’s crew. 

There was so much catching up to do.

“I hope the native flora and fauna haven’t given you too much trouble,” Phlox said, shooing away a Denobulan sprig gnat that was almost as big as his thumb.

Dr. Lucas shrugged a little, “I’ve learned to live with it. In fact, I find some of it… rather interesting.”

Phlox chuckled a little, “I can’t say I’m surprised,” he said, glancing at his friend with a slightly teasing look, “You have always been one to find positivity in the most dire circumstances, Dr. Lucas.”

Dr. Lucas scoffed a little, smiling, his brows drawing together in an odd expression that Phlox couldn’t quite read.

“You know you… can call me Jeremy, old friend.”

Phlox blinked a little, feeling a slight flustered heat coming into his cheeks.

“Well, I…” Phlox stammered, “I just…” his words fell flat as he struggled to come up with a proper explanation.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” Dr. Lucas said, turning slightly red, himself, looking away and taking a sudden breath, “Of course you can call me whatever you like.”

Phlox frowned a little as they fell into sudden silence, the moment hanging between them like a heavy weight, tugging at Phlox’s gut with nervousness.

At last, he managed to conjure the words for his feelings, his words softly spoken, just louder than the quiet sounds of their footsteps on the path.

“I suppose I… didn’t want to make you uncomfortable when we first met. I knew that you were… aware of Denobulan culture and humans are not always so relaxed about our ways. And… for those aware of our polyamorous practices, too much familiarity could result in the… wrong impression.”

Dr. Lucas looked at Phlox thoughtfully, nodding slightly, “That makes sense. I might have felt that way, once, but…” he smiled, “now? When you know me? I won’t go running away if you call me by my first name.”

Phlox’s blush deepened slightly and he ducked his head, looking down at his shoes (and feeling entirely too much like a schoolkid for his own peace of mind).

“I suppose I… thought that too much familiarity might give you the… _right_ impression. And I didn’t know how you would respond.”

Dr. Lucas was quiet for a moment. A very, very long moment, stretching on and on, and Phlox was too anxious to look over and check the other man’s expression.

And then a hand caught his own and gripped it gently. Their fingers entwined as naturally as the beats of their footsteps synchronizing as they walked.

Phlox looked over, catching Dr. Lucas’s eyes, a hopeful sort of smile tugging at his lips.

“I hope that answers your question,” Dr. Lucas said, chuckling.

Phlox’s smile grew and he nodded a little, “It… It does…” he laughed a little and added softly, “Jeremy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Phlox, approximately 24 hours after he calls him "Jeremy" for the first time ever: "Hey, Jer-bear? Jerry? Jerry-berry? Sweet J-J? Jeremy, my love?"  
> Dr. Lucas: "Yes?"  
> Phlox: "Nothing, I just like saying it."
> 
> ((I hope you enjoyed the fic!!! <3))


End file.
